Louis oppenheim



(No Model.)

L. OPPENHEIM.

FOLDING BED.

tented Sept. 16.

v UNITED-STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LOUIS OPPENHEIM, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO SARAH OPPENHEIM, OF SAME PLACE.

FOLDING BED.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 436,723, dated September 16, 1890.

Application filed January 23, 1890. Serial No. 337,847. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, LOUIS OPPENHEIM, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Folding Beds; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and tothe letters of reference marked thereon, making a part of this specification.

This invention relates to that class of folding beds which double up and close together in the middle transversely to their length and are thus made to present the appearance of aburcau, a chiifonier, or other similar article of furniture, and in which the proximate ends of the two divisions are each separately pivoted in the base of the supporting-frame and geared together to move in unison.

It has for its object to secure the smooth even working of the parts and to preventthe lateral displacement of the geared ends, which is liable to occur because of the warping of the frame or as the result of transverse strains 2 5 thereon.

It consists in the devices, substantially as herein described and claimed, by which all the advantages of a cogged gear are retained and the two parts are 'not only geared to- 0 gether throughout the whole extent of their movement, so as to be in effect inseparably connected, but are interlocked to prevent positively any lateral movement of either part independently of the other without affecting 5 their free swinging movements in a direction at a right angle to their pivotal axis.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a View in perspective of my improved folding bed when closed and made to present the 40 appearance of a chest of drawers. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal central section of the same when fully opened out as a bed. Fig. illustrates the interlocking device which is employed in connection with an ordinary cog-gear.

The base A of the bed is made, as usual, of such form and dimensions as to serve as the base of the chest of drawers, bureau, Writingdesk, or other article of furniture to be represented by the device when the bed is fully closed. The vacant space within the base is utilized to receive a drawer B, which maybe drawn out at the front.

The end pieces 0 O are carried up, as is usual, to furnish pivotal bearings for the bedbottom at a suitable height above the floor.

The two sections of the bed-bottom are each made of a length to correspond with one-half the length of the bed and are severally hinged by means of transverse pivot-boltsD D to the end pieces 0 C of the base in such manner as that the lower portion of the ends of the side pieces E E of the two sections shall abut closely against each other, as at f in Fig. 2. The upper portion of each side piece is cut away upon a curve described about the pivot of the piece as a center, so that while the ends abut below the pivotal line the side pieces are nevertheless free to swing upward into a vertical position.

Each section is furnished with a folding piece HH at its outer end, which, when the bed is opened, depend to the floor and afford firm support to the head and foot of the bed upon the floor.

I'leretofore the sections of beds constructed 7 5 substantially as above described have been geared together at theirinner proximate ends by means of cog-gear fitted to intermesh as the sections are turned up, the teeth being arranged to intermesh at the first upward movement of either section, and thereby cause both sections to move in unison; but while the customary cog-gear, consisting of alternate teeth and grooves formed transversely across the periphery of the curved ends, insures 8 5 conjoint movement in a plane at a right angle to the pivotal axis, they do not prevent a lateral displacement of the intermeshing cogs nor afford any lateral support or stay to the pieces which are geared thereby. I secure all the advantages of the cog-gear and prevent lateral displacement therein by forming a longitudinal fin or flange L upon the opposite side piece, in combination with an ordinary cog-gear N, formed upon one or both 5 sides of the flange and groove. In such case the isochronal movement of the two sections is produced. by reason of the intermeshmg of out interference with their free movement in opening or closing the bed, is preferably further re-enforced by fixed side plates or straps K, fitted on the inner sides of the side pieces E E of the sections of the bed, each to extend parallel with the base or floor from the one pivot-bolt D to the other transversely across the joint between the sections. The ends of these strap-plates K are fitted upon the ends of the pivot-bolts D'D, as shown in Fig. 2, and with them are immovable.

- I claim as my invention- 1. The combination, with the curved segments at the abutting ends of the jointed sections E E in a folding bed, of a toothed gear N, connecting said ends, and a central flange L upon the face of the one segment projecting into a counterpart groove M in the opposite segment, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.

2. The combination, in a folding bed, with the supporting-base A, the curved segments at the abutting ends of the sections'E E, pivoted to said base, the pivotal bolts D upon which they swing, and the toothed gear N, connecting said ends, of a central flange L upon the face of the one segment projecting into a counterpart groove M in the opposite segment, and an auxiliary immovable strap K, secured at each end to the pivotal boltsD parallel with the base to span the joint between the sections, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LOUIS OPPENHEIM. 

